Doubting is not attacking.
If you've received information from a trusted person who works in the development business and you decide to tell people on the forum, and they don't believe you, that sucks...Even people who actually have direct connection to these issues such as RetiredBanker. If he was called a liar or doubted, a person in the works being doubted by people on the internet, how do you think you'd feel? Trying to help someone and then being doubted when you're working hard to make it happen.
Ok. Here's what I don't get about RetiredBanker. He's apparently been deeply involved in major development projects throughout his whole career. Someone in a position like that thinks *very* strategically about how to operate. They do things very deliberately. He said as much in his most recent post on SSC. So his leaking these rumors is strategic. He thinks it will help him in some way, maybe by putting pressure on a reluctant developer, getting other investors excited about the project -- who knows?
So he posts rumors and gets upset when people are skeptical. Taking his marbles and stomping away doesn't seem to help his position. Engaging more with the community and getting people excited would seem to be the better course.
Powerful people do not act as you describe. They don't take doubt and skepticism personally.
Avian and min-chi-cbus seem to act as I would expect someone in the field to act. Sure, they might get upset from time to time (who wouldn't?) but they keep participating. A lot of people here have said how much they appreciate their posts (I certainly do!). Frankly, they're also much better at coming across as a "real person," while RetiredBanker likes to always trumpet his credentials. Credentialling is important in certain contexts, but what he does seems excessive to me. That's another part of what rubs me the wrong way about hists posts.
The above is *not* an attack, BTW. RetiredBanker may be a great guy in person -- I don't know him. I'm posting it as constructive feedback and as something for others posting rumors and getting furstrated to think about.